My maternal grandpa’s favorite cookies were snickerdoodles. In fact, the last time I made traditional snickerdoodles was for his celebration of life. I’m not sure I’ll ever make a snickerdoodle quite the same way again without thinking of him.

But these chai cookies hold a special place of their own. Chai happens to be my favorite tea, so combining the warm spices of a cup of chai with a soft and chewy snickerdoodle just makes sense. And they really do taste a bit like two treats in one.

The first thing you notice is that familiar soft, chewy snickerdoodle. Then the warm chai spices come through in the background. They aren't overpowering or overly spicy, just cozy enough to make these especially good once fall weather rolls around and all the way through Christmas baking season. Even better, these cookies are made with actual chai tea!

These soft and chewy chai cookies combine everything you love about a classic snickerdoodle with warm chai spices, maple, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Finely ground loose leaf chai goes right into the dough and cinnamon-sugar coating, making these an especially cozy cookie for fall and Christmas baking.

Jump to:

Can You Put Chai Tea in Cookies?      How to Grind Loose Leaf Chai for Baking     

Why Are These Chai Snickerdoodles?      Soft & Chewy Chai Cookies Recipe

How to Keep Chai Cookies Soft and Chewy      Can You Freeze Chai Cookies?      

What Goes With Chai Cookies?      Chai Cookie FAQs

Can You Put Chai Tea in Cookies?

You sure can!

Loose leaf tea isn't only for brewing. When it's ground very finely, it can be used much like a spice in baked goods. For these chai cookies, the tea is ground into a powder and added directly to both the cookie dough and the cinnamon-sugar coating.

There's no need to brew the tea first.

I use our Sweet Maple Chai because the maple and warming chai spices lend themselves so well to cookies. It's also another tasty way to use a tea you may already have sitting in the cupboard.

You don't have to use Sweet Maple Chai, though. You can experiment with another chai you enjoy. Our chai tea collection has several different styles to choose from. If you'd rather skip the black tea altogether, our caffeine-free Herbal Chai Spice was practically made for experimenting in the kitchen and can be ground for cookies, cakes, muffins, and other baked goods.

Just keep in mind that chai blends aren't all the same, so the ingredients and style of chai you choose will change the final flavor of your cookies. You can also learn how to make homemade chai tea if you'd like to experiment with your own blend.

How to Grind Loose Leaf Chai for Baking

This is one step I wouldn't skip.

You want the chai to be as close to a powder as you can get it. If the tea isn't ground finely enough, you can end up with gritty bits or tiny hard pieces in your cookies. Not so tasty.

A small coffee or spice grinder is the easiest tool for the job. A mortar and pestle can work too, but it takes quite a bit longer, and a full-size blender is generally too large for the small amount of tea needed here.

If your chai contains whole cardamom pods, you can remove the cardamom seeds from the green shells before grinding to make things a little easier, although I don't always bother.

After grinding, I usually pick out any stubborn larger chunks that refuse to turn into powder.

Why Are These Chai Snickerdoodles?

These aren't simply sugar cookies with chai added to them.

Traditional snickerdoodles get their familiar flavor and texture from cream of tartar and baking soda and are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. We keep those familiar elements here but add finely ground chai, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

The result is still unmistakably a soft and chewy snickerdoodle, but with that warm chai flavor following right behind.

How to Keep Chai Cookies Soft and Chewy

The biggest thing is not waiting for these cookies to look completely baked in the oven. If you wait for the whole cookie to become golden and firm, you've probably gone too far.

Look at the edges instead. Once they're just set, pull the cookies and let them sit on the hot baking sheet for about five minutes. They'll continue to set as they cool.

If your cookies spread out and go flat, check two things first: your flour and your butter.

I've certainly had my share of flat cookies! Usually I've either been a little too light-handed with the flour or let my butter and dough get too warm. If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels especially soft, give it a little more time in the refrigerator before baking.

Can You Freeze Chai Cookies?

Yes. Chai cookie dough can be frozen much like regular snickerdoodle dough, and the finished cookies can be frozen as well.

That makes these a handy one to prepare ahead during the Christmas baking season. Make the dough when you have time, freeze it, and save yourself a little work when things get busy.

What Goes With Chai Cookies?

A cup of chai, of course!

My favorite way to eat these is with a chai made latte-style. The creamy chai alongside the soft cookie brings out those warm spices without making the cookie itself overwhelmingly chai flavored. If you've never made one from loose leaf tea, here's my homemade chai tea latte recipe.

If you're just getting started with loose leaf tea, a simple stainless steel tea strainer with a lid makes it easy to steep a mug right alongside your cookies. You can also browse all of our tea infusers and strainers to find the brewing setup that works best in your kitchen.

We usually start making these once fall arrives, but they're especially at home around Christmas. Between the cinnamon, nutmeg, maple, and chai, they taste like they belong with cold weather, warm mugs, and Christmas cookie plates.

Chai Cookie FAQs

Do I have to brew the chai before adding it to the cookies?

No. For this recipe, the dry loose leaf chai is ground very finely and added directly to the cookie dough. You don't need to steep it first.

Can I use another chai tea?

Yes. Other chai blends can work, but the flavor of the finished cookies will depend on the tea you use. Different chai blends contain different teas, spices, and other ingredients.

If you want to experiment, Herbal Chai Spice is a caffeine-free option made entirely from chai spices, while Persnickety Peach Chai will give your cookies a fruitier twist.

How finely should I grind tea for cookies?

Aim for a fine powder. A few tiny flecks are fine, but remove any stubborn hard or woody pieces that won't grind down. Larger pieces can make the finished cookie unpleasantly gritty.

Why do chai snickerdoodles have cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is part of what gives traditional snickerdoodles their characteristic texture and slight tang. Together with baking soda, it helps distinguish these from an ordinary chai sugar cookie.

How do I know when chai cookies are done?

Watch the edges rather than waiting for the entire cookie to brown. The edges should be just set at around 10–12 minutes. The cookies will continue setting as they rest on the baking sheet.

Can I make chai cookies for Christmas?

Absolutely. These are one of our fall-through-Christmas cookies. The warm chai spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple fit right in with traditional Christmas cookie flavors while offering something a little different for the cookie plate.

What Else Could You Make Your Own?

Sometimes the best recipes come from taking something you already know and changing just one little thing. A favorite family recipe doesn't have to stay frozen in time to still carry the memories that came with it.

So take this as your permission to experiment a little. Grind up that tea in the cupboard. Add it to an old recipe. Try a flavor combination that sounds good to you. You might just end up with a new favorite of your own.

And if you're wondering what else you can do with the tea sitting in your cupboard, grab our FREE Cooking with Tea Recipe E-book for more ways to cook and bake with loose leaf tea.

Learn More About Cooking With Tea & Chai

• How to Make a Chai Tea Latte
• How to Make Homemade Chai Tea (Not Instant)
• How to Make Your Own Winter Spice Mixes
• Does Chai Tea Have Caffeine?
• Copycat Starbucks Drink Recipes to Make at Home
• Instant Chai Mix & Simple Pantry Gifts